Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Well, my real-life career may be stalled, but my Starfleet Fiber Arts Corps star keeps rising! With February I started doing mission grading, finished enough missions to get promoted to Commander 3rd Class, and won the Admiral Star for Best Overall Presentation in my mission reports for the month! Yay me!

Of course, if you actually look back at the February mission reports, you'll note that Spoon inserted his big white butt in most of them. Just don't tell him he probably pushed me over the edge, because he might expect some treat that would ruin his neverending diet.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Having been unemployed for the past two months and thus home most days, the cats went from happy to have me around more often to taking me for granted. I am pretty sure they see me now as above-room-temperature, interactive cat furniture.

Command: Craft something to represent that ‘one thing’ on the Bridge that captures your attention.

While on the bridge, I enjoy playing with the spectral visualization settings of the displays. If subatomic particles or various wave types are mapped to the visible light spectrum, we can see striking effects normally invisible to our eyes. This is what a warp field looks like when mapped to the visible spectrum and being attacked by a giant space cat:

Diplomatic: Make something for your own quarters or those of another to make the space seem more like home.

I heard a Betazed delegate remark on the quadrupeds which have invaded the Kitchener, and how they resembled Betazoid cats which the delegate had had to leave at home, so I supplied her with one of the invaders:

Engineering: Make a toy, game, or other object to be used in (or to represent) your shipboard hobby - whatever that might be.

My hobby is to go around like a fairy godmother and grant people’s wishes. And to make “pew pew pew!” sounds.

Medical: Make our visitors feel comfortable seeking medical treatment by crafting something that represents the men and women of the ship’s Medical Facilities.

One of the most revered and storied past members of the Starfleet Medical Corps is, of course, Dr Leonard “Bones” McCoy. Here is my homage to Captain Kirk’s longtime friend and ship’s doctor:

Science: Craft something to represent one of the labs or the work done there.

During my rotation through the stellar cartography lab, I actually managed to discover a new kind of star, the micro-mini blue-green dwarf star!The micro-mini blue-green dwarf star has several peculiar properties, including being endothermic and chemically/radiologically inert. It is also cute and snuggly.

Shuttle: Show Ship Pride: Using your finest fiber art skills, make something to represent the ship you serve on.

I came back from an away mission and found the Kitchener decks covered with water puddles. I’ll just mop some up with this here towel and not ask questions…

Afghan Challenge - February: Gamma Trianguli VI - Galactic Garden of Eden
An idyllic planet with a tropical climate, its atmosphere has no harmful bacteria and completely screens out any negative effects from the sun.
The humanoid inhabitants of this planet worshipped a sophisticated computer they called Vaal, which provided for the people by controlling the planet’s weather. Since the destruction of the device, they have resumed a more normal society. The people remain open and unquestioning toward visitors; Starfleet personnel are reminded that the Prime Directive is in full force.

These blocks are a symbolic representation of the change in the direction of the lives of the Gamma Triangulons after Captain Kirk totally violated the Prime Directive for the umpteenth time set them on a path of social evolution.
Please excuse the interloper. Several of us on the Kitchener have been affected by an infestation of small quadrupeds. While they seem basically harmless, they tend to be an occasional hindrance to our duties. This one has, yes, grabbed the block on the left to… play? help? destroy?

Original cat pattern by Mitsuki Hoshi
Garland pattern from Japanese book Lace Crochet Best Pattern
Star pattern by Karolina Eckerdal
Illusion Duck pattern by Amy-lynne Mitchell